5 fun facts about the Cayo Perico Heist in GTA Online

Modified Apr 24, 2021 21:18 GMT

The Cayo Perico Heist has many interesting facts that some GTA Online players might not know about.

As it is a crucial part of GTA Online's last major update, fans are still talking about the Cayo Perico Heist to this day. There is always something new to learn, even if it's incredibly minor in nature. That said, players will likely grind out the Cayo Perico Heist time and time again in GTA Online, so it's possible that they might know some (if not all) of these facts.

Five fun facts about the Cayo Perico Heist in GTA Online

#5 - First solo heist in GTA Online

Starting this list is the most obvious fact that GTA Online players know. However, it's a fun fact because it's fun knowing that one can do it without the fear of having incompetent teammates. Instead, players would have to blame their own lack of skill in case something goes awry. Of course, the Cayo Perico Heist can still be done with a group of friends if need be.

All prior heists in GTA Online required at least one other person to do it. Surprisingly, the Cayo Perico Heist is the first one in GTA Online to forego that fact, nearly seven years into GTA Online's life. That said, there is always the possibility that it won't be the only solo heist, as Rockstar does seem keen to help out solo players as of late.

#4 - Cayo Perico is the first new location introduced after a game was released

More specifically, it's the first new location that takes place outside of the main island of the game. Past GTA titles didn't have DLC introduce new territories outside of their original turf (the GTA London are separate games from the original GTA 1 and the GTA 4 expansion packs all take place in Liberty City).

GTA Online used to only take place in San Andreas, up until the Cayo Perico Heist update. Now, players can (somewhat) explore the island of Cayo Perico. Every other update had a player exploring a new location within the confines of San Andreas, as opposed to a location belonging to a different country.

#3 - Time will freeze at a certain point

Time won't be frozen like in TV shows where nothing moves; rather, in-game time won't progress at a certain point. Everybody can still move and do their usual routines, but time freezes this way based on the player's approach to the Cayo Perico Heist in GTA Online. There are two times of days the player can choose for the mission.

If the player chooses the daytime approach, they will arrive at 12:00. Time will progress normally until 19:00, in which time won't progress any further. Alternatively, the player choosing the nighttime approach will arrive at Cayo Perico at 22:00 and time will continue on normally until 05:00. All of this is merely visually, but it's still pretty neat to know.

#2 - There are two unlockable weapons found in the heist

Usually, heists are all about making money. However, the Cayo Perico Heist goes an extra step and allows players to unlock two new weapons to add to their arsenal after completing the heist. The two new weapons are the Perico Pistol and the Combat Shotgun, both of which include an element of randomness in their unlocking method.

The Perico Pistol is unlocked in a drawer in El Rubio's office, but it requires a key from a random event in San Andreas. Hence, players would need to spend time outside of the heist to get this weapon. The second weapon, the Combat Shotgun, is found in a random location within the Cayo Perico Heist.

There are no requirements for acquiring the Combat Shotgun, but it should be noted that players who collect it don't get to keep it. Instead, they must buy it from Ammu-Nation, as collecting the shotgun just simply unlocks it for sale.

#1 - Animal facts

Normally, animals are completely absent from GTA Online. They only appear when the player uses a Peyote Plant and transforms into one; otherwise, they are nowhere to be found. Interestingly, a few animals do show up in the missions preceding the finale of the Cayo Perico Heist in GTA Online.

In the preparation missions and cutscenes, players could see some animals on Cayo Perico. First, there is El Rubio's panther, which is sometimes seen in the finale in a cage next to English Dave. The player cannot be harmed by the Panther, even when it's out of its cage (as it doesn't spawn anywhere on the island, despite the player hearing its growls).

Finally, there is a 50% chance players could see a beached whale on the northeastern side of Cayo Perico when gathering intel in GTA Online.

Note: This article reflects the writer’s personal views.

Edited by Nikhil Vinod